Hold Option while clicking the green button to zoom the window to fill the screen without entering full-screen mode, or use Casement's ⌃⌥↑ to fill the screen in one keystroke. The window stays in its normal Space, with the menu bar and Dock still reachable.
Option-click the green button
Holding ⌥ while clicking the green button zooms the window to fill the screen instead of making it full screen. Some apps zoom to the size of their content instead.
Double-click the title bar
Depending on your System Settings, double-clicking a window's title bar zooms it or minimises it. Check Desktop & Dock.
Casement: ⌃⌥↑
Press ⌃⌥↑ and the front window fills the screen, with ⌃⌥← and ⌃⌥→ for halves. See the shortcut list.
Quick comparison
| Method | Result |
|---|---|
| Green button | Full-screen mode, menu bar and Dock hidden |
| Option-click green button | Window zooms; stays in the normal Space |
| Double-click title bar | Zoom or minimise, depending on your setting |
| ⌃⌥↑ with Casement | Window fills the screen; menu bar and Dock stay |
When you want true full screen
Full screen is still useful for focus: videos, writing, presentations. It gives the app its own Space and hides distractions. Use it deliberately rather than as the way to make a window big.
Questions people ask
Is it the same as full screen?
No. Full screen gives the app its own Space and hides the menu bar and Dock.
Try Casement
Casement is a menu-bar app for Mac that puts each Chrome profile in the Dock as its own icon and adds snap layouts, hover-to-focus, a window switcher, Dock window lists, a drop shelf and display controls..